OSHA Regulations on Long Hair Around Machinery

Having long hair that is not properly secured can be extremely dangerous because it can become caught in moving machine parts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1980 and 1998, occupational injury involving machinery, including falls and workers being pulled into machines by loose clothing or hair, was ranked third after motor vehicle and homicide as a cause of death.
Additionally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers’ hair becoming entangled in equipment is a serious problem that causes injuries such as scalping and facial disfigurement. There have even been situations in which workers have been pulled into machines by their hair.

OSHA has set forth regulations so that this type of accident can be prevented. Employers are responsible for ensuring that their employees have securely fastened their hair. If they do not, employers can face hefty fines. Employees are required to cover and protect long hair to prevent it from getting caught in machine parts such as belts, chain and rotating parts. Employees are also encouraged to pay close attention to work pieces that have slots or other surface profiles that may increase the risk of entanglement. They should keep clothing, loose jewelry and hair away from rotating and moving parts, as they may become caught.

Hair long than four inches can be drawn into machine parts such as suction devices, blowers, chains, belts and rotating devices. It can even be drawn into machines guarded with mesh. Therefore, hair must be securely fashioned with a bandana, hair net, soft cap or the like.

According to OSHA regulations, “securely fashioned” means that hair is tied back into a bun or a knot without any loose locks. Pony tails are acceptable for the most part, though if hair is extremely long, pony tails may still be blown into a machine part by the wind or sucked in when the worker bends down.